Retrohepatic Vena Cava and Juxtahepatic Venous Injuries

The daunting mortality encountered with retrohepatic vena cava and juxtahepatic venous trauma is testimony to the difficulties inherent in their management. For a successful outcome, the operating surgeon must be able to rapidly identify the nature of the injury and tailor the choice of procedure accordingly. Atriocaval shunting, balloon shunting, sequential vascular clamping, and perihepatic packing are all methods of treatment with which the surgeon must be familiar. In this review, we present a case of this injury caused by a gunshot wound. This serves as a useful starting point for a discussion of the techniques available for addressing this injury.